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The Band

NORM ARSLAN is a Bay Area native from San Carlos who started out playing jazz and classical trumpet as a boy. He was inspired to begin playing guitar in 1971 at UC Davis by college friends who had a band. For the past 30 years he has studied rock, jazz, and blues with a number of teachers, including Tuck Andress (of Tuck and Patty), Bill Schray (Gelb Music), Barry Namm (Berklee School of Music), and Jerry Beltran (Barrelhouse). For several years, he has also studied at the California Coast Music Camp. In 1989 he led the effort to gather together several experienced musicians and create 5150. In addition, over the past two years he has also gone solo, both playing and singing swing tunes from the 30’s–50’s. He continues to study lead and rhythm guitar as well as lead and vocal harmonies.

STEVE ECKERT has been playing in rock ‘n’ roll bands since the beginning of time (about age thirteen at high school dances). Besides playing bass and singing in 5150 for almost 30 years, he leads a bluegrass/Americana band (Ghosts), playing mandolin and singing in harmony at Bay Area farmers markets and other venues since 2012. Prior to that, he played bass in blues bands (Feral Moon and The Nitecaps) in your friendly neighborhood sleazy bars around the Bay for about six years. He is an active member of the California Coast Music Camp and serves on their board of directors. When he is not playing music, he loves his day job as CEO of Alum Rock Counseling Center in San Jose.

MARK CATE has been playing rock ‘n’ roll since age fourteen, doing high school and church dances, then with more serious groups during college playing guitar and trumpet. The past fourteen years he has been playing guitar with 5150, and trumpet with a community concert band, a seventeen-piece jazz band, and in the pit with a local community theater group. When he’s not making music he enjoys golf, skiing, and building and flying radio controlled airplanes.

RANDY SCLAR has played drums since he was twelve years old. He played in a variety of rock, jazz, and horn bands growing up, through high school and college in the ’60s and ’70s. Ironically, he’s still playing the same music. His main influences are Buddy Rich, Keith Moon, Mitch Mitchell, and Bobby Colomby (Blood, Sweat and Tears). He is patiently looking forward to his nomination to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. While awaiting that call, he toils as a psychologist in San Mateo, California.

FARRELL WYMORE started playing guitar in his late teens. He supported himself through college and grad school playing rock but shifted to a jazzier guitar style heavily influenced by soulful yet sophisticated blues. After a lengthy absence from the music scene due to family and career, Farrell started playing again just a few years ago, studying with San Francisco Bay Area jazz celebrities such as Rick Vandivier, Mimi Fox and Danny Caron. Farrell’s guitar style is heavily influenced by Mike Bloomfield, Robben Ford, Matt Scofield, and Larry Carlton (when he is not playing elevator music) and San Francisco Bay Area favorites Terry Hiatt, Chris Caine, Chris Cobb, and Dave Gonzales.